Scott Brown Following in Ted Kennedy Tradition with Conscience Clause

The progressive movement is in an all out war on the so called Blunt Amendment and Scott Brown’s push for it. They are hitting at the phrase “moral conviction” as a code word for all people to stop providing birth control coverage. Jim Braude hit Brown repeatedly last night with this phrase.

The problem for the left is this is the exact same language used by Ted Kennedy to define a conscience clause. In 1994 and 1995 Ted Kennedy introduced health care bills. Both of which had seemingly identical language regarding a moral conviction clause.

“A Health Professional Or A Health Facility May Not Be Required To Provide An Item Or Service In The Comprehensive Benefit Package If The Professional Or Facility Objects To Doing So On The Basis Of A Religious Belief Or Moral Conviction.” (S. 2296, Introduced 7/19/94)

“A Health Professional Or A Health Facility May Not Be Required To Provide An Item Or Service Under A Certified Health Plan If The Professional Or Facility Objects To Doing So On The Basis Of A Religious Belief Or Moral Conviction.” (S. 168, Introduced 1/5/95)

Senator Roy Blunt’s Amendment, S.AMEND 1520 to S.1813 (text below), is clear in that it allows Employers to Deny Health “Services” to anyone they please so long as the Denier (Employer) of Health Services feels that to grant “PROVIDING COVERAGE IS CONTRARY TO MORAL CONVICTIONS of the sponsor, issuer, or other entity offering the plan [Employer].”

Notice Senator Blunt’s Amendment goes beyond the age-old “Religious Freedom” argument to deny groups of people services by including a person’s “Moral Conviction” as an excuse to discriminate against groups of people.

Blount has used the language of Senator Ted Kennedy as a guide for his amendment, the protests of the left and KosKids notwithstanding, this amendment covers the exact same turf as previous Kennedy legislation.

In two short years, Massachusetts Democrats have become too liberal, even for Ted Kennedy.